


When It Rains

by Itch



Series: In Rain or Shine, Wind or Snow [1]
Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: Canon-Typical Violence, Case Fic, Drinking, First Kisses, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Kidnapping, Kinda, Kisses, M/M, Pizza, Texting
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-04-23
Updated: 2016-05-02
Packaged: 2018-06-04 01:51:19
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 12,132
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6636121
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Itch/pseuds/Itch
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The best thing one can do when it’s raining, is let it rain ~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow</p><p>'Pinkie Promise?' 'Pinkie Promise.' When two friends make a promise to one another that neither ever want to have to fulfil everything becomes a race against time. Finishing cases, getting to and from work, drinking in bars, nothing seems safe any more. When Reid falls victim to an unsub who's torture method was psychological abuse Morgan realises how fragile the young genius actually is, and how hard it is to protect someone from thoughts they don't share with anyone. Despite the fact it's a one on one battle vs Reid's psyche, Morgan refuses to give up; not now and not ever.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Pinkie Promise

**Author's Note:**

  * For [StarlightDragon](https://archiveofourown.org/users/StarlightDragon/gifts).



> ey yo so it's my first criminal minds fic and i hope you guys like it ;w;

**_~*~ the best thing one can do when it’s raining, is let it rain; Henry Wadsworth Longfellow ~*~_ **

*

Reid should have known better than to sprint in the middle of December rain, but he couldn’t help it; he didn’t have a choice. His chest was getting tighter and tighter the faster he ran, arms pumping by his side as he ran as hard and fast as he could, glad for his glasses protecting his eyes from the freezing rain. He heard the voice of the man he was running from shout behind him, a _hey!_ That he ignored in favour of turning a corner and heading deeper into the city.

 

_“Hey pretty boy, you heading home late again?” Morgan asked with a quiet laugh, ruffling Reid’s hair as he walked past. The younger swatted at Morgan with an indignant huff, flattening his hair again._

_“Do you mind? And yes, I’ve got more paperwork to fill in.” Reid gestured to the small pile in front of him, dropping his pen onto the desk. “JJ and Garcia wanted to go out for a girl’s night so I picked up some of JJ’s paperwork.” He explained before Morgan would ask. Morgan rolled his eyes and shrugged his jacket on._

_“If there was anything I could do I’d stay and help, but we both know I’d just get in your way and you’d tell me to leave anyway. Have a good night kid, if you end up here too late gimme a bell and I’ll come pick you up. Wouldn’t want our resident genius gettin’ hurt on the way home now would we?” Morgan’s teasing was just that, teasing, but it made Reid bristle slightly._

_“Morgan I’m an FBI agent, I doubt anything will happen to me on my way home.” Picking up his pen again, Morgan just waved off his words._

_“I know kid I know. And I’m serious. Call if you need me.” And with that, he left._

Feet skidding on the drenched ground Reid crashed into a wall, grunting as he did so before pushing off it, disregarding the red light at the crossing. A car horn blared and he slammed his hands down on the cold metal bonnet as it stopped, apologising through blue lips before carrying on his spontaneous marathon.

 

_He’d been nearly done when the phone call came in about the case. The kidnappings of the men in their own state, a 15 minute drive away. It was late, but 3 men were already missing and they couldn’t risk anymore, especially as no bodies had shown up yet. Reid was the one that made all the calls. A sleepy but professional Hotchner, a grumpy Rossi who was at least thankful that the case wasn’t far away. He run up with a string of what Reid assumed were swear words in Italian and he made a mental note to ask Rossi about them later. JJ and Garcia were still awake at their ‘girls night’ and weren’t happy about the call, but told Reid they’d be there in half hour with Prentiss. Then he called Morgan._

_“You need to be picked up?” were his first words and Reid chuckled, secretly pleased that Morgan hadn’t forgotten their conversation just over an hour ago. Not that Morgan forgot many things, but he probably had something more thrilling that a conversation with Reid happen within that hour that should have taken prime memory place._

_“No, but I just got a call about a case 15 minutes away from here. Three men have gone missing and there’s been no bodies found so there’s a worry spreading.”_

_“How do we know they’re missing if they went missing tonight?” There was a rustle on Morgan’s end, then a clink that sounded like someone standing up a redoing his belt._

_“They’re police officers, and their shifts started about an hour ago. No one called in sick. The force is worried.” Reid poked some papers around on his desk before stifling a yawn. “Are you passing a Starbucks on your way in?” Morgan chuckled and Reid heard a distinct rattle of keys._

_“I’ll make sure I pass one just for you pretty boy.”_

_“Thanks Morgan.”_

 

His ankle gave out, just for a second. He shouted in pain and tripped, hitting his elbow on the brick wall he used to brace himself.

 “Shit…” he cursed under his breath before trying to push himself off to run again, footsteps catching up to him.

 “Hey, kid, why’d you run?” The other man gasped, holding his ribs as he breathed as hard as he could.

 “Because there’s been… people like me kidnapped… and I thought…” he explained, waving a hand in the general vicinity of the city to illustrate his point even though he probably didn’t need to. “What did you want?” The man held out a hand, a brown leather wallet in his hand.

 “You dropped this.” Reid blinked a little before taking it with a frown. He didn’t remember dropping his wallet, and he was sure that he’d have felt it falling from his pocket.

 “Thanks. I didn’t even realise I’d - _mmph!_ ” A giant hand clasped over his mouth and nose from behind, stopping him from speaking and breathing. His reflexes kicked him, his hands coming up to grab at the thick wrist that was constricting his airway. A muffled cry of ‘let me go!’ was lost against the sweaty palm and he wanted to cough but he couldn’t.

 “Good job Jason, real good ruse goin’ on there.” The man behind him grunted as he dragged the flailing man backwards. Reid kicked out forcefully, trying to get away but to no avail. Bundled into the back of a van, Reid felt a cloth that smelt of chloroform pressed to his face and duct tape wind its way around his wrists and he resigned himself to the fact that this was it.

 

_“Reid, are you okay?” Morgan asked, hand on the mirror in front of Reid’s face as the slimmer man shook his head before running his fingers through his unruly hair._

_“No. I mean yes, physically I’m fine but they’re abducting people of my age and appearance Morgan and people who work in the police force too. People just like me, so am I supposed to be okay about that and not feel extremely nervous about going home alone?” Reid threw his hands up in the air and Morgan caught them, making Reid ultra focused on the warmth and the roughness of his palms._

_“I understand kid, I do. I feel the same whenever an unsub is targeting African American men. I do. And JJ understands too, you think she doesn’t feel the same way when an unsub is targeting no one but white blonde women? We all understand Reid. You just gotta have faith in the fact that you’re not alone in this.” His words permeated Reid’s mind, who just swallowed and let their eyes meet._

_“Morgan, can you promise me something?” He asked, voice hoarse from a nervous thought that was making itself very well known in his mind right then._

_“Anything you need kid.”_

_“If I die in the field, would you go to Las Vegas to tell my Mom?”_

 

When Reid woke up it was dark, and it was cold. Coldness surrounded him like a strange blanket. It was under him, to his sides and above him, wrapped around his wrists and ankles and neck, entering his lungs with every breath and seeping through into his blood with every passing second. The only sound was his own rattled breathing and the chattering of his teeth. Oh, and the clink of chains when he moved.

 “Hello?” He tried to no avail, though he hadn’t thought it would do him any good. Fear crossed his mind as he remembered he’d just been kidnapped. By their unsub. He recounted as many facts as he could about the case. No bodies had been found, no ransom notes, and no contact to the media. No bodies and no ransom could simply mean the men were alive, and they didn’t want money for their return, they wanted _them._ Or it meant the had an undiscovered dumpsite. Reid didn’t like that thought. They could very well be alive but the first 48 hours were the most important. He had little under that for them to find him before they would start presuming he was dead.

 

_“Tell your mom? Reid what the hell kind of promise is that?” Morgan’s voice was harsh, and Reid recoiled before gathering his thoughts and speaking them all at once._

_“I mean I guess the normal protocol with families is the team leader goes to see the family or at least someone does, and they’re told in person about their loss, but my case is a little different because of the fact that my mother is in the condition that she’s in.” He paused to take a breath and to check Morgan was still following, which judging by his rapt gaze, he was. “And I don’t want some random officer that she’s never met to show up and tell her that I’ve- y’know, because I don’t think she’ll believe them, she’ll think they’re part of her delusions too and refuse to admit that it’s true, and then she’ll probably cling to that it was a lie, a fool of her mind and she won’t actually come to terms with the fact I’m gone, and someone who’s met her before will have her trust, someone she can easily remember… I guess it’s meant to be Hotch’s job but Hotch looks so ordinary and plain and there’s got to be someone who works at the hospital who looks like him so she won’t realise he’s the man I work for right away, but you, she’d recognise you Morgan. She knows I trust you. She knows that you wouldn’t lie to me, so why would you lie to her?” He was shaking and he hadn’t even realised it as he rambled off thought after thought, explaining himself as concisely as he could even though it felt like it was taking a hundred and one words where ten would suffice._

_“So you’re saying because your mom would recognise me as your friend, she’d know I wasn’t lying when I told her you died.” Morgan clarified, and Reid nodded at him._

_“That’s what I’m saying.” Morgan pursed his lips before shaking his head, looking at his feet._

_“I don’t feel right making you this promise kid, it sounds all too much like you’re gonna do out there and die on me, but yeah I’ll make it to you. On one condition.” He looked back up at Reid, who was waiting for the line something like ‘as long as you never make me act on it’ or ‘just don’t think that now you’ve got me as a safety net for your mom you can go soft on me in the field and get yourself killed’ but it never came. “You do the same for my family.”_

 

 “You’re awake.” The statement made Reid jump and try to turn around to look at who made the noise, but the chains holding him restricted his movement he couldn’t even do that. “Oh, you still got some fight in you?” A dark chuckle left the man’s throat and Reid swallowed thickly. He wasn’t good at confrontation. Intruding thoughts about the Henkel incident drifted into his mind and he pushed them back, ignoring the phantom stinging pain in the bottom of his feet that he always seemed to feel whenever he thought about Tobias and his father. He wanted to say that he didn’t have fight in him, no fighting was needed, please don’t hurt him _please_ he can’t take the abuse, but he refused to give the unsub that kind of satisfaction. Not until it needed to be voiced that was.

 “Cat lost his tongue?” Another voice called and the man in front of Reid laughed before his boot his Reid’s jaw. Reid cried out, body being forced to the limit of the chains, the links digging into his bony wrists.

 “Fuck you.” He spat, blood already dripping from his mouth. It wasn’t often that he swore, but when he did, he meant it.

 “You wish.”

 

_“You want me to tell your mom and sisters?” Reid was shocked. Surely Morgan wanted JJ or Hotch or Rossi to do it… not him._

_“That’s what I said. I talk about you a lot to them, you’re my best friend man, other than Garcia of course. And speaking of the wonderful lady, if you can, can you be the one to tell her too? She… she likes you Reid. And as much as she loves JJ and everyone else, something tells me that she’d be most comfortable hearing the news from you.” Reid’s numb nod was all the confirmation Morgan needed to hold up his right hand, pinkie finger extended. “Pinkie promise?”_

_“Pinkie promise.”_

 

Reid woke up again in pain. Everything ached. Judging by the sharp feeling when he breathed in, he has a broken rib or two, and the dull ache in his head suggested a concussion or _five._

 “Urgh…” He grunted, before whimpering, forcing his body into a sitting position. Spencer Reid wasn’t weak. Well, physically he did lack a certain amount, but mentally he was stronger than most men. He would get through this. His head lolled, cheek pressing to the cold metal of the room, cell?, he was being kept in and he let his heavy eyelids close from weariness. Outside he could hear the rain continuing to fall, hard and heavy, washing away the heat and the dust of the world outside. If his captors came down now, they’d see him sitting there in a calm surrender. Physically, he couldn’t fight them. But mentally he could, by showing them as little distress as he could.


	2. Where's Reid?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reid's not at the round table meeting, nor is he answering his phone and the team are worried.

 “Where’s Reid?”

The question hung over the team like a dark cloud, lightning bolts shooting down to make each and every person’s spine tingle and not in a good way. Hotch’s face was set in a scowl that wasn’t just firm, it was downright terrifying. Garcia felt her mouth twitch into the slightest of smiles at the thought of Hotch finding the man who’d taken Reid and looking at him with that glare. She was just glad in that instant that she would _not_ be the one on the receiving end of it.

JJ and Prentiss were staring at the same point on the table, as if the wood would reveal some answers about their missing colleagues whereabouts, and Rossi was just sitting there, fingers steepled, thinking. Morgan was the only one not still. He was pacing the room, hands running over his head and neck, scratching at the sides of his neck so hard he was leaving stinging red lines. The words of his promise to Reid were echoing so loud in his ears that he wanted to bang his head against the wall to make it stop. No, he couldn’t think about it like that, Reid _couldn’t_ be dead, he just couldn’t be. Reid was strong, he’d survive, somehow.

 “Morgan.” Hotch warned, looking up at him, the harshness dropping out of his eyes as he looked at his co-worker. “Sit. Or stand still, please.” Morgan threw his hands up in the air and stormed out the room without a word, slamming the door behind him. When Hotch moved to get up and follow him, Garcia raised a hand.

 “Sir, if you don’t mind, if I may just-”

 “Go, Garcia. You’re probably going to be the only one he’ll listen to right now.” She nodded, then ran out of the room, silently thanking herself for choosing some small heels today.

 

She spotted him over the railing, striding into the bullpen before stopping. She pursed her lips as she realised Morgan was stood staring at Reid’s desk; staring at the mess of pens in various colours and a HB pencil with a thoroughly chewed end stuck in a washed out jam jar. He reached out and moved the files he’d been filling in for JJ and Garcia still in disarray where he’d poked through them during the phone call, sliding them across the small space that Reid called his. Standing behind him, she saw Morgan pick something up, the photoframe JJ had given Reid for Christmas that held 2 photos. In it were a photo of Reid and Henry from the Halloween where Henry had dressed up as his favourite profiler and a selfie Morgan had taken of the whole team together, each with a genuine smile on their face. He couldn’t swallow the lump in his throat as he looked at his best friend on paper, on a table in front of him, part of Reid so close to him but the rest too damn far.

 “Hey there.” Morgan looked up as Garcia came closer and he put the photo down. He didn’t want to talk to her, or anyone, he just wanted Reid to be _safe._

 “I told him to call me and I’d drive him home. I told him to call me Garcia and he didn’t. Does he not trust me or something?” His voice broke and Garcia was there to catch him as he slumped, the despair at Reid being _not there_ hit him in the gut.

 “He does trust you sugar lump, but he’d Reid. He wants to be independent even though he doesn’t need to be. Now I know you’re upset, we all are, but we need you in there. You know Reid better than we do. We need you to find him Morgan.” Morgan bit the inside of his cheek as he pressed a cheek to Garcia’s lavender scented hair before standing up properly and setting his jaw.

 “Let’s get him back.”

**~*~**

They found a note from the unsub, tucked under the windscreen wiper of Morgan’s car. It wasn’t in a language anyone knew, it was in _code._ If it hadn’t been vital to the case, Morgan would have screwed it up and left it for the rain to destroy.

 “What the fuck is this? They’re leaving us clues only _Reid_ can decipher for gods sake.” He launched a stress ball at the wall, watching it bounce off and fling itself across to the other side of the room where Rossi caught it.

 “We can solve this, between us, we can.” JJ assured him, a comforting hand resting on his twitching bicep. Morgan didn’t want to listen to reason, he wanted to listen to Reid rattle off statistics that Morgan didn’t actually care about. He wanted to hear him ask if anyone was listening, for everyone to say that they were, even though none of them really were. Truth be told, everyone remembered one or two of the facts that he said in a day, only to recall and surprise him with at a later date.

 “But Reid-” He started with, before looking at the note again. And then again. And again. “Reid you _genius._ ” He grabbed a marker pen, flattening a plastic screen over the note before beginning to scribble lines on it, muttering to himself.

 “Morgan?” Hotch asked, only to be shushed as the man poured over the paper.

 “Reid. He wrote this. I recognise the way he writes the letter M. He wrote this, and tried to disguise it, but he left it obvious enough that we would notice. He wrote this code, meaning we can crack it, because we know Reid.” He slammed the pen down before pushing it to JJ. “You try and decipher more. This is _Reid_ in a cipher.” The paper got passed from person to person, each using their knowledge of Reid, and the knowledge that he knew to decode the message he'd somehow been able to leave them. Although no one knew who he'd done it, they weren't surprised that he had done. He was a genius after all.

**~*~**

Reid spat out another mouthful of blood before looking up at the man in front of him with a raised fist. His eyes skirted over the man’s split and red knuckles, the unkempt facial hair and the cold glint in his eyes before settling on staring at the simple nose ring on the left side of his nose.

 “How many times are you going to punch me? Becau'e I’ve counted 22 so far, and you seem to be breathing pre'y heavily.” He slurred through a numb tongue, earning another hearty punch to the lower jaw that nearly made him bite the tip off his own tongue. “Make that 23.”

 “Why does it matter to you? You’re gonna die at my hands at some point anyway.” The words made him feel colder than the environment but he brushed it off, cracking an eye open to look up at the man.

 “My team knows I’m missing.”

 “Your _team_ can’t find you here. No one can find me here.” Reid laughed then, a happy sound despite the situation.

 “You don’t know my team.”

**~*~**

 “How do you think he got the note out?” Prentiss whispered to JJ as Morgan pieced together the pieces of Reid’s cipher they’d all come together to unpick and read.

 “I have no idea, but it’s Reid, so something insanely clever that we wouldn’t have ever dreamed would have worked.” A fond smile crossed the blonde’s mouth at the thought of Reid trying to sweet-talk his way into getting the note out, making up something about a ‘made-up cipher that doesn’t actually exist that they’ll know is from the unsub and will distract them long enough that they’ll never find him in time’. The last few words sent a shiver down her spine however and she turned her attention to where Morgan had finished writing.

 

_When you think there are one, there are two_

_One who fools and one who grabs_

_A hand a cloth a van to drive_

_Before darkness and awakening in cold_

_Cold so deep it makes bone turn to ice_

_And water_

_Water water everywhere yet not a drop to drink_

_Water that falls as rain and water that waves in the sea_

_Water that runs away with the tilt of a hand_

 

Rossi rubbed his face, thumb stroking the ceramic handle of his coffee mug. It’d been a gift from Reid, reading _For Best Results; Make it Irish_ on the side that never failed to make Rossi laugh, especially when it was Reid handing him the coffee with an over exaggerated wink.

 “He wrote us a poem in a cipher he knew only we would crack. Why? If he knew we were the only ones who could crack it, why didn’t he just write ‘I am at _x_ location?” Rossi voiced everyone’s thoughts aloud. Except for Morgan’s.

 “He knows we can work it out. He knows we _know_ this place…” He rubbed his chin, trying to think like Reid, as impossible as it sounded. “He’s near water. Not just the rain but a lake? Or a pond?” Hotch jumped up then, grabbing his Kevlar from the back of his chair.

 “I know where he is. There's a lake, they do a lot of fishing there. He saw a leaflet from it on my desk once and gave me a 15 minute lecture on fishing, the optimal times and conditions, as well as the best way to be sure to catch something if I wanted to 'impress the ladies... or Jack' I think were his exact words. Vests and guns, everyone, we're leaving now.” He stopped for a split second before looking everyone in the eye. “If he's putting Reid in direct danger, take the shot. And if he's not… the paperwork will say he was.” There was no hint of joke in his voice as he spoke, and everyone followed him out solemnly with that knowledge tucked in their mind as solid as their own names.


	3. I Do Remember

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They go to find Reid :)

 “Where's your team pretty boy?” The man - Heston - spat down at Reid, who flexed his fingers, just to check he could. 

 “Coming.” Reid growled, tilting his head up to look at the man who had been wailing on him for the past God-knows how long. “They're coming.”

 “Or they're not. Maybe they're glad I took their burden off their hands and am dealing with it.” Reid rolled his eyes and sighed as if the ordeal was completely boring him. 

 “Are you going to kill me then? Make sure I'm not their problem forever? If you are, how are you going to do it? Going to shoot me so it's quick and not personal, so you don't need to get your hands dirty? Or are you going to stab me as many times as you physically can and leave me to bleed out on the floor of your cell so I suffer?” A swift kick to the stomach made him cough but he looked up anyway, carrying on. “How about strangling me? That's up close and personal, letting you feel the last breath being taken and it'll let you watch the light in my eyes go out.” Before he could start another sentence a hand was around his throat, cutting off his air supply, leaving him gaping like a fish out of water. 

 “I like the idea of cutting you up and strangling you so you can't breathe, then letting go for a few seconds. I like the sound of  _ torture. _ ” A dark laugh made Reid swallow his next words as a knife hissed out of a sheath, glinting in the low light. Maybe he should have kept his mouth shut after all. 

**~*~**

Morgan was ready. He was more than ready as he tumbled out of the van, gun and torch in hand, following Hotch directly, one foot silently in front of the other. A SWAT team followed, letting the team lead the advance. This was  _ personal.  _ The rain was torrential, soaking everyone within seconds of being out in the open, but Morgan ignored the chill sinking skin-deep, instead choosing to concentrate on being silent. As they approached one of the shipping containers abandoned by the side of a rather large pond, Morgan could just about read the words  _ FISHING SUPPLIES  _ daubed messily on the side in white paint. A signal from Hotch, and half of them broke off to go to the wooden cabin that sat a few feet away from the container. Morgan reached out, touching Hotch’s arm, then pointing at the container. Something gave him a bad feeling about it. Hotch nodded, and the two of them moved to open the container, a simultaneous shout of ‘ _ FBI’  _ as their torch light swept the mostly empty box, the sound echoing inside it. 

There were a set of empty and open shackles, as if they were waiting for someone to clamp down on, blood on the floor that was still wet, and some heavy duty coiled chains in the corner. Morgan ran to the shackles, placing a hand on the inside metal of them. 

 “Still slightly warm. He was here Hotch, or at least someone was.” When he looked over his shoulder his boss was already striding to the house. Despite his haste to catch up, Morgan wasn’t the one who did the honour of kicking the door down, sending the lock flying across the room and wood splinters shattering in many directions. The team, then the SWAT, poured into the building, searching every room, every one resulting in a sickening shout of ‘ _ clear _ ’ before finally--

 

Their voices could be heard through the trapdoor. Reid looked up at the source of the sound blearily. He was colder now than earlier, barely able to stand unaided and he was so tired. Everything hurt ten times more. He blinked a little more to try and clear his head before sighing heavily, not in defeat but relief. The hand that’d been tormenting him for hours reclasped itself around his airway and he made a wet choking noise, his back pressed to the other man’s chest. 

 “They’ll have to go through you to get to me.” He growled in his ear and Reid just grunted in response, tilting his chin up slightly to make breathing that degree easier. The hatch opened and light shone down, blinding Reid momentarily before his eyes adjusted, and Morgan jumped down, gun in prime position. 

 “Drop the weapon, remove your hand, and step away from the man.” He snarled. Weapon? Pressure on his lower left side alerted him to the knife being pressed against him and he breathed in as much as he could, anticipating it sinking into him and sending him off to a blissful darkness where it couldn’t hurt anymore. 

 “Why should I? He’s too much of a  _ burden  _ for you, he’s too smart. I’ve seen you all, him talking, and none of you listening. The way he carries a gun like he’s asking someone to talk it off of him. Bet he can’t even fire a straight shot, and that drives you insane because it means you need to protect him when he’s FBI, he should be able to protect himself.” 

Reid let out a tiny sob at the words, hating the fact that he knew the unsub was right. Not about the shooting, he could fire a clean shot just fine, like when he’d saved himself and Hotch from the sniper in the hospital. But he was FBI, and he should be able to protect himself, and more often than he liked, he was the one on the end of the unsub’s knife or gun with the other team members standing opposite staring them down.

 “You should because he’s FBI. He can shoot just fine, and he can carry his gun however he wants to. And we  _ do  _ listen. All the time. Whether it’s World War One or 12th century literature, or the population of Cincinnati, we  _ listen  _ because he’s our  _ friend  _ and that’s what friends do.” Morgan began to take slow, calculated steps closer to the unsub, the gun trained on his forehead, which was dangerously close to Reid’s. Part of him shouted for him to take the shot, he was close, and the unsub couldn’t move faster than a bullet. But another part of him kept his finger frozen on the trigger because he couldn’t risk hitting Reid. 

 “Prove it.” The unsub snarled, the tip of the knife pricking into Reid’s sensitive side, the younger man whimpering in pain as he felt the cold tip press into his skin in a way he was sure it would draw blood.

 “The population of Cincinnati was 297, 517 in 2013. In Western Europe, the 12th century saw a rise in the production of Latin texts. And in world war one the youngest authenticated man who served was only 12 years old.” Cocking the gun slightly, Morgan tilted his head. “Am I right Reid?” Reid nodded best he could with the hand around his throat, and the unsub’s face twisted in rage, throwing Reid to the side, launching himself at Morgan. Three gunshots rang out clear before Morgan dropped the gun with a clatter. It skidded across the floor back towards the ladder that Hotch was descending down, a muffled call for a medic barely reaching Morgan’s ears as he crouched by Reid’s side. 

 “Hey, hey, Reid, it’s okay, it’s me, you’re safe now.” Reid laughed softly, relaxing into Morgan’s arms as the other man lifted him up, out of the darkness and into the blinding white light outside. He’d been right, his team would come. 


	4. Why Is There Always Jell-O?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ambulances and pizza boxes

_ Beep. Beep. Beep.  _ The rhythmic sound of the heart monitor was the first thing that Reid heard as he started to wake up from his sedation. The second was the sound of soft snoring coming from the corner of the room. Despite the stiffness of his neck he turned his head to look at who was there, and was more than glad to see it was Morgan. 

 

_ Flashes of black and white; the deafening sound of ambulance’s siren as it raced through the streets to get the wounded FBI agent treatment as soon as they possibly could. Weak BP was a worry for them, and Reid was drifting in and out on consciousness, never in one state for more than a few seconds.  _

_  “Dr Reid, Spencer, can you hear us?” The unfamiliar voice of the paramedic made him groan slightly, especially as the other man’s hands were brushing over his skin to find the locations of his injuries. _

_  “Reid, squeeze my hand if you can hear me.” A hand that was warm and calloused slipped into his limp fingers and he knew exactly who was sitting beside him in the ambulance. He squeezed. It wasn’t hard, but it was there.  _

 

Curled up on his side, his own hand as a pillow, Reid thought Morgan looked almost peaceful cramped into the hospital chair. On the small table beside him was an empty Jell-o pot that’d fallen over from the weight of the plastic spoon left in it. Reid chuckled softly, forcing himself to sit up a little more before convincing his dry throat to speak. 

 “Again with the Jell-o? Is this a new kind of ritual that I don’t know about?” He rasped, grimacing at the sound of his own voice. Morgan’s eyes shot open and he grinned, grabbing the water jug that was out of Reid’s reach. 

 “Hey there genius, how you feeling?” Before answering, Reid took the cup of water being held out to him and downed it, letting his head fall back onto the pillow feeling more refreshed. 

 “For the lack of a better word, completely wrecked. Kind of like after Henkel, but also worse because he didn’t give me the same level of beating. At least, not that I remember through the dilaudid haze that hung over me for most of my time. And I didn’t need to bust myself out. Thank you, for that.” He grinned at Morgan, who just rolled his eyes, reaching up to smooth some of Reid’s hair away from his forehead. 

 “Damn right I came to save you; I don’t have the plane fare for Las Vegas to go see your Mom.” The wink that followed made them both laugh, attracting the attention of a doctor who’d been hovering outside for a few minutes.

 “Feeling a little better?” She asked kindly, handing Reid another glass of water and a few painkillers, that he took once Morgan gave him a slight nod. Looking between the two, she frowned, taking Reid’s chart back outside. 

 “Be back in a sec.” Morgan mumbled, patting Reid’s shin as he followed her out. Sliding the door closed behind him, he turned to the doctor. “I only nodded because he’s got a past history with abusing opiates. Usually he refuses to take any kind of painkillers in ambulances because he doesn’t want the feeling of them, but I know they’re necessary, so I nod and let him know they’re okay. That way he’s in my hands, and he’s my responsibility; not his own when painkillers are involved.” Doctor Amera just waved him off. 

 “Agent, whatever happens between you and him isn’t my business, but I do appreciate the explanation. He should be fit to leave in a few days, though  _ no  _ dangerous fieldwork for at least 2 weeks.” 

 “Got it.”

**~*~**

 “Morgan you don’t need to stay the night, I’m  _ fine. _ ” Reid chuckled, watching Morgan flip him the middle finger from the small kitchen. “Did you know that that particular gesture dates back to Ancient Greece, and was also used in Ancient Rome? Yeah, historically it was supposed to represent the phallus but over time it’s just become a rude symbol used by punk bands and celebrities in an attempt to be ‘different’ and ‘edgy’.” 

 “Okay genius, and you know what else dates back to Rome?” The doorbell rang, and Morgan dried his hand, whipping Reid playfully with the tea towel as he walked past to answer the door and take the two pizza boxes from the delivery boy. “Pizza.”

 “Actually, the first recorded use of the word pizza was in 997 AD in Gaeta, which is 75 miles from Rome.” Reid took a slice from his box, ignoring the scoff he got from Morgan for the pizza comment. 

 “Seriously, is there anything you don’t know?” Between the sound of the cardboard pizza boxes opening, and Morgan’s chewing, Reid struggled to hear himself think for a second. Off the top of his head, there were a few things he didn’t know, but none of them he wanted to admit to Morgan. Although he  _ did  _ just save his life…

 “I don’t know how some people have the smoothness to flirt with others, without it coming out a complete mess. Or how some people can just  _ tell  _ the person of their affections that they’re attracted to them.” For once, he didn’t think, he just blurted out words before he could regret them. 

 “Oh? Does that mean that Spencer Reid has a crush on someone, and wants to let them know so they can have a little sugar?” The silky quality of Morgan’s voice made Reid squirm, and he busied himself with his slice of pizza and poking at the DvD control to make the movie play. “Don’t go trying to distract me kid, I wanna know about this crush of yours!”

 “I don’t  _ have  _ a crush. I just don’t understand how some people can be so up front about their feelings when there’s such a large margin for error.” The shrug that followed his words hurt him to make, but he did it anyway, turning back to the film he’d now started, hoping Morgan would too. He should  _ not  _ have mentioned it. 

 

_  “Reid? You feeling okay over there? You look like someone just made you suck on a lemon.” JJ slid into the seat beside him at the club, her cocktail held delicately in one hand. Reid blinked a little before swirling the remainder of his beer around in the bottom of the bottle. _

_  “Nothing, I’m fine…” He trailed off as the song changed to something else slow and sexy with a beat people were supposed to bump and grind too. He made the mistake of looking up and catching sight of a tipsy Morgan running his hand down a girl’s waist, a bright smile on his face, his own hips swaying to the new music. Swigging the last of the beer he sighed before putting the bottle down, and JJ caught the glance.  _

_  “You have a crush on Morgan don’t you.” He cursed JJ in that instant, and he knew she would see the miniscule nod that he gave her. “Oh honey… c’mon I’m gonna get you another beer, and we’re gonna talk about this. How long?” _

_  “A good year or so? He’s just… he’s such a ladies man that I never even considered that it would ever be an option but you know the other day when he let slip about that boyfriend he had in college? I’ve not been able to stop thinking about him since, it’s… and I know it’s not allowed, I know. That’s the other thing.” He gratefully took the cold beer from the bar tender, chugging a huge gulp to calm his nerves.  _

_  “Reid… oh I don’t even know what to say really, because you’re right it isn’t allowed.. If there was a way around it, I’d suggest you just go for it, but you’re both incredible profilers, and we can’t afford to lose either of you.” _

_  “I know JJ, I know.” He rubbed his forehead in annoyance, Morgan and Garcia sitting at a different table alone catching his eye.  _

_  “Hey, come dance with me?” She asked and Reid just nodded, letting JJ link their arms together and drag him out onto the dance floor.  _

 

_  “Dammit Garcia he’s dancing with JJ now, I can’t walk over there and ask  him to talk now without raising her suspicion!” Morgan groaned, burying his face in his hands, Garcia’s hand resting between his shoulder blades.  _

_  “Morgan, she wouldn’t think anything of it! And plus, if you want you can just watch Reid dance because I think the boy’s been taking lessons.” Garcia mused, toying with the umbrella in her glass. Morgan looked up and oh god she was right, there was no way Reid had had that much coordination last time they came to the club. His movements were more sure and precise, but with such an air of fluidity that made him mesmerising to watch. At least, Morgan couldn’t keep his eyes off him. Obviously, neither could another man, who came up right behind Reid, pressing them together. Morgan had a clear view of Reid’s face as it happened, the surprise, and the way he didn’t relax back down to the smile he’d had when it just he and JJ. Morgan’s chair squeaked as he stood, striding across to wrap a strong arm around Reid’s waist and spin him away from the other man, glaring viciously as he did.  _

_  “Morgan?” Reid looked at him in surprise and Morgan just smiled, letting his arm fall off of Reid’s waist.  _

_  “You didn’t seem comfortable.” Both men stood for a second looking into each other’s eyes, tongues flicking out to wet their lips, the tension between them palpable before Reid cleared his throat, accepting his drink being handed back to him by JJ.  _

_  “I wasn’t. Thank you.” _

 

**To:** Baby Girl: oh dear lord help me

**From:** Baby Girl: morgan??? Everything okay over there cupcake???

**To:** Baby Girl: no no it isnt reid just asked me how some people can just admit that they have crushes on people and I????????? Have no idea how to answer that help me garcia what if i fuck something up and tell him how i feel

**From:** Baby Girl: DID YOU ASK HIM IF HE HAD A CRUSH ON SOMEONE?

**To:** Baby Girl: oh course i did dumbass but he just turned the movie up and stuffed his face full of pizza  >:|

**From:** Baby Girl: oh dear

**To:** Baby Girl: don’t oH DEAR ME GARCIA  **:** i’m having a #crisis over here

**From:** Baby Girl: stop having a #crisis I’ll text him

**To:** Baby Girl: like that isn’t suspicious 

**From:** Baby Girl: okay I have a plan trust me sweetcheeks this is gonna be great

**To:** Baby Girl: i trust u with my life, both love and mortal 

 

Reid yawned as the movie credits began to roll, suddenly noticing his phone buzzing beside him. He grumbled about a case, not feeling up to going into the office, but stopped when he saw it was a text from JJ.

**From:** JJ: Hey, how’s it going over there with you and Morgan? ;) xx 

**To:** JJ: What do you mean how’s it going? We ate pizza, we, more I, watched a movie, and I might be about to go to bed. What did you think was going to happen? And why are you using a wink emoji with me?!

**From:** JJ: Oh Reid you know why I was using the wink face at you. Is Morgan going to stay the night? Xx

**To:** JJ: I believe so

**To:** JJ: He seems really worried that something else is going to happen to me and he doesn’t want to leave my side

**From:** JJ: Well there was a chance you were /dead/ Spence, we were all worried out of our minds. Morgan the most xx 

**To:** JJ: Morgan was the most worried about me?

 

Reid looked over his shoulder at Morgan who was preparing coffee for the both of them, humming a quiet tune as he did. Although he found it hard to believe  _ Morgan  _ was the most worried… he could see it.

 

**From:** JJ: Yes! He really /really/ cares about you Spence. Why don’t you try and stay awake a little longer, just sit and talk with him, reassure him that you’re there and you’re alive xx

**To:** JJ: I guess I can do that

**From:** JJ: Oh, and he was the one who cracked your cipher. Have a good night Spence, text me if you need anything more :) <3 xx

 

Tucking his phone away, Reid stood up, poking the iPod dock into life. One of his favourite songs began to play through the speakers at a hushed volume, causing Morgan to turn around and look at him, the steaming kettle still in his hand.

 “Reid?”

 “Movie ended - it was really quiet in here so I decided to put some music on. You don’t mind do you?” As Morgan opened his mouth to answer the lyrics of the song kicked in and he frowned for a second again, looking from the iPod dock to Reid. 

 “Course not.” Holding out the mug of coffee, Reid took it with a smile, sipping it. “This song’s not bad, what’s it called?” 

 “ _ My Side of the Story.  _ It… sometimes it makes me forget about facts and strict numbers, and makes me think more about life as it is, fluid, and changing. I mean, I see statistics in one way, but someone else can see them in a completely different manner, and this song helps me remember that.”

 “What do you mean by that kid?” Easing himself into a kitchen chair Reid sighed, cupping his hands around the coffee mug in front of him. 

 “Take the infant mortality rate. In the US 2013 it was 5.9 in 1000, whereas in India it was 44.6 per 1000. So that is a statistic you can view so many ways, rather than just the simple numbers that they are. And then you can look at the possibility that you’re one of those parents whose child was one of the 5.9, or one of those whose child was one of the 44.6. Make sense?” He looked up at Morgan, who was looking at him with such seriousness that he was sure he understood. “For me, they’re just numbers. But for other people, it’s real life. Like the schizophrenia statistics  _ aren’t  _ just numbers for me, they’re real life, or the amount of African-American males who are killed under a certain age, or the average life expectancy of an FBI agent--”

 “Hold up there kid, what was that about the African-American men?” Reid sipped the coffee again, trying to use it to budge the lump in his throat to no success.

  “Well you’re my best friend Morgan, I get worried about the risk of you dying, just like you do with me.” He placed his hands down slowly, flat on the wooden table, trying to still his shaking fingers. Without thinking, Morgan reached out, placing his hand on Reid’s to help stop the shaking, similar to his gesture back in the bathroom a few days ago. 

 “It’s okay kid, I do not plan on getting myself killed anytime soon.” Both men smiled at each other, the song ending in the background, leaving them both sitting at a stalemate, just like in the club. Reid licked his bottom lip, and Morgan watched. Then Morgan wet his lip, and Reid watched. Neither even wanted to dare breathe until Morgan’s phone vibrated loudly on the table, making them both jump.

 

**From:** Baby Girl: hows it going???

**To:** Baby Girl: awkward silence where i was watching his lips and im sure he was watching mine that was interrupted when YOU text me

**From:** Baby Girl: oh, woops.

**To:** Baby Girl: YEAH WOOPS WHAT IF THAT WAS MY ONLY CHANCE TO KISS HIM?

**From:** Baby Girl: that was NOT your only chance derek calm down listen put ur phone on silent or something jfc and just idk make small talk

 

_ Make small talk  _ she says  _ make small talk  _ how was he supposed to make small talk with someone like Reid? Reid was a  _ genius,  _ he didn’t  _ do  _ small talk, he did ‘you talk small and I’ll expand it so much you have nothing else to say except for _ huh I didn’t know that  _ and then you move on’. 

 “So, you actually listen when I start rambling facts?” Woah. Okay that was unexpected. Morgan raised an eyebrow before nodding, poking Reid’s coffee cup. 

 “Don’t let it go cold. And yes, damn right I listen to you. Never know, knowing about the origin of pizza or 12th century literature might be useful one day.” Reid laughed then, downing the rest of his coffee. He knew JJ was right, he should stay up and talk with Morgan more, hell he  _ wanted  _ to but he couldn’t bring himself to do it, he was too tired. 

 “Listen, I need to get some sleep, even that coffee isn’t going to wake me up.” He admitted, standing up carefully so not to jostle the few ribs he needed to be extra careful of.

 “Sure, no worries kid. I’ll crash on your couch and make you breakfast in the morning. And don’t try and argue.” Reid didn’t, instead he just shuffled into his bedroom, moved a few books off his bed and curled up beneath the blankets there. Sleep had never come to him quicker. 


	5. Sweet Dreams and Coffee Beans

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> the title is a lie im sorry dont hurt me

_ He was on a plane. Reid checked around him, and it wasn’t the BAU jet, it was a normal passenger plane, with other families and lonely travellers on around him. The only difference between him and them, were that they all knew where they were going on this plane. He didn’t want to lean over and ask, and in any case he knew that in a dream it was best to just let it happen rather than work out what was happening. Interfering too much could easily lead to nightmares. So he sat alone in his seat until the intercom announcement that they would be landing in Chicago echoed around. His heart sunk and he scrabbled for the seatbelt, wanting to get it off, to interfere so much with this dream that he could crash the plane and wake up panting and flailing as if he was trying to free himself from the wreckage. There was only one reason he would be going to Chicago; alone.  _

 

_ Black, then colour again. He was standing with his messenger bag weighing his shoulder down, staring at the front door of the apartment building where Morgan’s family lived. He reached out, ringing the bell.  _

_  “Hello?” One of his sisters, probably.  _

_  “Hey, it’s uh - it’s Doctor Spencer Reid. You know, Morg- Derek’s friend. Can I come in?” The door buzzed and he pushed it open, the creaking of the old wood making him shiver. He chose not to take the lift, but the stairs, letting each one cement in the reality of the dream he was in. He was in Chicago, alone, at Morgan’s apartment. Inside the messenger bag was a framed picture of Morgan in his uniform and a card with Hotch’s writing on the front that simply read THE MORGAN’S. Something told Reid it was a condolence card, signed by each one of the team. He got to their door, but before he could knock, Sarah opened the door. She had flour on her hands, a bright smile on her face that fell when she saw Reid’s expression.  _

_  “Spencer?” Morgan’s mother, Fran, poked her head around the corner from the kitchen, her face too dotted with flour, the white powder sticking to her hair and cheeks. “Everything okay sweetheart?” He stepped over the threshold and clicked the door shut behind him.  _

_ He held Fran as she sobbed, Sarah and Desiree holding each other now Reid was done talking. Fran’s hand was twisted in Reid’s sweater vest and tie, her chest heaving. He took his glasses off, resting them beside him on the couch before wrapping his other arm around her and holding her closer as he too began to cry.  _

 

Struggling against the blankets that’d wrapped themselves around his limbs, Reid sat up with a cough, scrubbing at his face, finding it wet with tears from the dream - nightmare? - he’d just had. His chest hurt, not from the rib damage but from what felt like grief sitting on him in wake of the dream about him in Chicago. Deciding he couldn’t sleep anymore after that, he switched on his bedside lamp and picked up the copy of Dorian Gray that’d been resting on his bedside table. After struggling through three pages he gave up, dog earing the page and shoving it back on the side. As quietly as he could he left the room, just to check Morgan was still sleeping on his coach. Just in case. 

 

_ Morgan wasn’t sure where he was, though it seemed to be a waiting room of some sorts. It was large, spacious, with comfy couches tucked against each wall and large glass walls that showed him grass and trees of an outside world that he wasn’t there to see. To his left, a coffee mug was empty, the dregs at the bottom stone cold. He could still taste it in his mouth, it going sour as time passed on and despite the rummaging he couldn’t find any chewing gum in his pockets. As he was about to get up, he got a text. _

**_From:_ ** _ Baby Girl: You get to Las Vegas okay? X _

_ His heart stopped as he read it, looking around him again at the clinically white walls, and the man outside sitting on a bench admiring a pink flower. From here Morgan couldn’t hear anything beyond the glass, but he could see the man’s lips moving, like he was saying a prayer or speaking to the flower. Without him wanting to, his fingers moved to tap out a message back to Garcia.  _

**_To:_ ** _ Baby Girl: yeah. Waiting for her now. X _

_ He knew where he was, and who he was waiting for now.  _

 

_ Her gait seemed pained, each step taking longer than the last to happen and eventually Morgan stood, moving closer, before easing Diana Reid down into a plush sofa opposite to where he’d been sitting.  _

_  “Who are you? Wait… aren’t you my Spencer’s friend? Is he here?” She blinked at Morgan before looking around, seeing his mug. “My Spencer drinks too much coffee you know, that’s why he’s so skinny. Maybe you can get him to stop drinking it all the time. Is Spencer here?” Morgan took a deep breath, then shook his head.  _

_  “I’m sorry Ma’am but he’s not.” _

_  “Why are you calling me Ma’am? Diana is fine!” She protested before scowling. “Why isn’t Spencer here? Is he sick? Do I need to tell you what his favourite book to read when he’s sick is?” Morgan put a hand on her shoulder, silencing her.  _

_  “Ma’- Diana, I’m so sorry.” _

 

Morgan woke up with a hearty cough, throwing the blanket Reid had lent him off. The room was dark, though a car driving past lit it up with it’s headlights, and he realised where he was. Reid’s couch.  _ Reid.  _ Tripping over himself he stood as fast as he could, needing to check Reid was still asleep, still  _ breathing  _ when he bumped into someone in the doorway.

 “FBI put your hands- Reid?” He reached out, grabbing the other man’s biceps as he wobbled for a second, hearing a small noise of affirmative from Reid as Reid reached out to turn on a standing lamp, flooding the room with a yellow glow. 

 “Of course it’s me, who else would be in my house other than me and you? Is everything okay, you seemed in a hurry.” Morgan let out the breath he’d been holding and had to laugh, letting his head fall forward as he did. 

 “Coffee? I’ll explain as we drink.” 

 “Sure.” Reid sat down at the table again, the same place he’d sat earlier during their silence where he had been watching Morgan’s lips and hoping the other wouldn’t notice that was what he was doing. 

 “You in pain?” Morgan asked as he added another heaped spoonful of sugar into Reid’s mug, glancing over his shoulder to where Reid was shaking his head, hands pushing his hair away from his face. 

 “No, bad dream. I’ll be fine, I just can’t get back to sleep, nor can I read, which is the most infuriating thing. Usually when I can’t read I might text JJ and see if I can facetime with Henry, or text you because you make me laugh, but JJ is asleep right now and you’re here so I can’t text you, and I’m not as thought out via spoken word.” Pinching the bridge of his nose Reid flashed Morgan a small smile. “But having you here does make me feel a lot better.” Morgan cursed himself internally for the blush creeping across his cheeks that made his face burn more than the hand wrapped around the coffee mug. 

 “I’m glad I could help genius. Now drink up and tell me ‘bout this dream.” 

After finishing the coffee, Reid took a deep breath. 

 “You remember that we made that promise that we made in the bathroom, about our families?” He started, still staring down into the cup he’d drained as if the coffee remnants were going to cheer him on. “Well, I had a dream I was on a plane, and then I was in Chicago, and…” He stopped there, not wanting to say the words ‘you were dead and I had to break it to your mother and two sisters’. Morgan shifted on his chair, moving it across the floor to sit beside Reid, pressing their biceps together. 

 “Hey, I get the jist. If I’m honest, I had the same dream. ‘Cept I was in Las Vegas with your Mom.” Reid’s jaw dropped and he looked up, surprised at how close he and Morgan suddenly were. 

 “Uh- wha- you were?” It was like he’d forgotten how to breathe.

 “Yeah. Man I woke up and I was so scared it was real y’know, scared I hadn’t made it to rescue from you the unsub fast enough.” Reid could have sworn he could feel hot breath on his face, that was how close they were. He was close enough that he could just lean in and…

 

His phone rang from the bedroom and he leapt up, apologising as he did, running in and answering it.

 “Sir?” 

 “Is Morgan there with you Reid?” Hotch sounded tired and tinny, probably using the handsfree option on his phone in the car. 

“Yes Sir, is there a case?”

 “There is. If you feel up to it then you can come in, but you’re not allowed in the field do you understand me?” Reid nodded, then cleared his throat and agreed, hanging up on his unit chief to go tell Morgan about the new case.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> come find me on tumblr and tell me how much of a terrible person i am for this chapter lmao @ synergygabriel


	6. When Those Who Aren't Meant to Know, Know

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> the title is a lot more cryptic than the chapter lmao

Reid limped into Garcia’s office holding two coffees and a bag of pastries for them to share as her fingers flew across the keyboard, cross referencing the list of potential suspects with criminal records. She blew him a kiss as a thank you before drinking a mouthful of the coffee, smacking her lips. 

 “Thank you very much junior G-man, I would have done it myself but according to sugar cheeks over in Erie they’ve got a real big situation, the guy is both devolving, and evolving at once.” She grumbled about  _ sickos who get off on killing  _ before taking a large bite of the raspberry pastry Reid had bought her.

 “What do you mean?” Garcia shot him a look before nudging her headset with the back of her hand so to not get any jam on it.

 “You talk to him, you’re the profiler man.” Wanting to correct Garcia on the ‘profiler man’ comment because he wasn’t the only one, there were 3 others on the team, he opened his mouth but stopped as her phone rang. He took the headset and answered quickly, needing to know about the backward evolution. 

 “Careful, you’re on speaker baby girl so behave,” Morgan’s voice floated through the earpiece and Reid forgot his own name let alone the question he had to ask. “Please tell me you’ve got something good.”

 “Well I have a pastry, a coffee, and a cute as a button genius wearing my headset because he needs to be filled in better than an expensive colouring book if that’s what you mean. If it’s not then I have zilch but I’m still digging and narrowing things down.” 

 “Cute as a but- Garcia that’s- urgh. Anyway, Morgan, Garcia told me that the unsub was devolving and evolving, what’s going on?” Papers shuffled and a chair scraped, and Reid heard a mumble of ‘ _ cute as a button? _ ’ from someone before Hotch’s voice came through clearly. 

 “He’s devolving in the manner of more kills, more exposed dumpsites, his victimology has completely gone out the window from young white men to everyone between the ages of 17 and 35.” Reid nodded, snagging his notebook from Garcia’s desk, scribbling down some notes. “However his method went from 4 gunshots, only one fatal, to one fatal stab through the heart, to poison, and we just received a note saying there’s a  _ bomb  _ somewhere and honestly we’re no closer to finding this unsub than we were two days ago.” Hotch sounded tired, way more tired than Reid had ever heard him, and his voice was laced with worry. “If we don’t catch him and this bomb goes off, who knows how many people are going to die.”

 “He’s putting on a spectacle,” Reid said instantly, a few pieces slotting together in his mind. “He wants the media and he wants fear. He’s changing up his method and victimology so we can’t warn a specific group about a specific person to watch out for, everyone needs to be on red alert at all times.” Putting the notebook down, he tapped Garcia’s shoulder. 

 “Talk to me snowflake and you shall receive.”

 “Can you cross reference the criminal record with uh, with theatre workers, people in a performance industry. Magicians, musicians, those kind of people. He wants people waiting with bated breath, and if we alert the media to the bomb threat, I don’t think he’ll go with it.”

 “Reid are you  _ crazy _ you’re talking about telling a whole city to be ready for a bombing!” Morgan’s tone was scalding and Reid rolled his eyes, watching the way Garcia’s screen popped up the word negative so fast he barely even had time to read it.

 “No, I’m not crazy Morgan. If we tell people what he’s doing, it’ll throw him off. He won’t have the element of--” Garcia’s computer bleeped and he slid the chair over to read what it had picked up. “Male, 37, used to be a magician and then worked in theatre, both times he was fired because apparently he just wasn’t good at either of them… arrests for assault in his juvie record but that’s it… and a few notes about calls to the house regarding domestic violence.”

 “When was the last one?”

 “Six months ago.”

 “Where’s the wife?”

 “She moved to Arizona. Names and addresses are being sent your phones…  _ now. _ ” Garcia hit enter, spinning on her chair to give Reid double high-fives. A ‘thanks Reid and Garcia’ was said into the headset before they were hung up on and Reid just beamed, linking his fingers with Garcia’s for a second in joy. He hated being in the office whilst everyone else was in the field, it made him feel useless. He had the same training as them, so why should  _ he  _ be safe at home when no one else was? He pushed the thought aside to finish the coffee and sit there chatting inanely with Garcia for a little while. 

 “So, how did the other night go? Y’know, Morgan staying at your place…” The look in her eyes made Reid blush bright pink, and even clearing his throat and coughing wasn’t going to be good enough to help him escape answering. 

 “We had pizza, drank coffee, slept, then we got the call, nothing out of the ordina- did JJ  _ tell you _ ?” Mid way through his sentence it occurred to him that the only reason she’d be asking with  _ that  _ mischievous look was because she  _ knew  _ about his crush on Morgan. Garcia’s face changed in an instant, the mischief behind her glasses turning to confusion, her nose wrinkling slightly. As her brow furrowed Reid realised his mistake. 

Garcia  _ didn’t  _ know.

 “Did JJ tell me  _ what  _ junior G-man?” She leant forward, gently taking hold of his wrist. He leant backwards away from her, mind racing to find any form of an excuse for him to get out of there that very instant. 

 “Nothing, obviously she told you nothing, I can’t doubt JJ like that or anything, uh, I need to go to the uh, the bathroom and, I’ll be back.” He stammered, pulling his wrist free from Garcia’s grip and running out of the room, down the stairs and towards the bathrooms. Garcia picked up her phone instantly, tapping out a text for JJ to return once they’d caught the unsub.

 

**To:** JJ: hey dollface listen up what has reid been gossiping to you about i mentioned him and morgan @ his place and he freaked out 

 

When Reid hadn’t returned over half hour later Garcia was getting worried that she’d really hurt his feelings when her phone pinged, a text bubble from JJ filling her screen. 

**From:** JJ: Oh no he freaked out?? Poor boy :( What did he/you say? Xx

**To:** JJ: kay so i asked him how it was the other night w/ him and morgan u know and then he was like we had pizza and talked and then he was all DID JJ TELL YOU and i was like ??? did jj tell me what and then he just fuckin ran out the room and this was over half hour ago and im worried i rly upset him whats going on :/

**From:** JJ: Oh dear. Okay, the reason he freaked out is because he thought I told you about a secret he’s got. It’s… 

**From:** JJ: If I tell you do you promise not to tell Reid I told you, I just want to be able to help him :/ xx

**To:** JJ: i swear on my honour as a hacker he will not know you told me anything

**From:** JJ: He has a crush on Morgan xx

**To:** JJ: WHAT

**To:** JJ: NO WAY HE DOES????

**To:** JJ: MORGAN HAS A CRUSH ON REID

**To:** JJ: JJ WHAT DO WE DO

**From:** JJ: Did you just say Morgan has a crush on Reid?!!?! Xx

**From:** JJ: Oh my I didn’t know that hold on I need to move seats in the jet Morgan is right beside me and I don’t want him to see xx

**To:** JJ: good plan but before we do our epic plotting to get them together can u help me figure out a way to make reid feel better bc i feel bad for upsetting him without meaning too

**From:** JJ: Text him, ask if he wants a coffee because you’re going to get some or something. Tell him you’re sorry and I didn’t tell you anything xx

**From:** JJ: Oh, and either make sure he doesn’t see your phone, or delete this conversation ;) xx

 

Reid dragged his hands down his face as he stared at his reflection in the bathroom mirror. He shouldn’t have freaked out when Garcia mentioned it, he knew he made a mistake. Taking in a shaking breath he tried to steady himself and make it look like he hadn’t nearly had a tiny meltdown at the thought that Morgan’s best friend knew he has a crush on him. If she knew, would she tell Morgan? Would he hate Reid for it? Probably. 

 

That, that was why he couldn’t have Morgan know. He was too much of a ladies man, and a  _ curvy  _ ladies man at that to be interested in Reid in any way other than a friend. A soft vibration against his thigh made him check his phone, seeing two texts, one from Garcia, and the other from Morgan. 

 

**From:** Garcia: hey reid im going to get coffee you want one darlin?? :) xx

**To:** Garcia: If you don’t mind :) x

 

Almost instantly, as if she’d been holding the phone waiting for his response, he got a reply.

 

**From:** Garcia: if id have minded i wouldnt have offered would i now meet u back in my office with it in 10

 

With that out the way, he shouldered the bathroom door open, reading the text from Morgan. 

 

**From:** hottest guy in the BAU: wish u were here

**To:** hottest guy in the BAU: Where, on the jet?

**To:** Morgan: And when did you change your contact name in my phone :|

**From:** Morgan: LMAO you only just noticed aw man i changed it like a week ago kid XD 

**From:** Morgan: yeah on the jet, jj was sitting next to me but she started texting someone and moved away i s2g if shes sexting will im gonna go mad

**To:** Morgan: I doubt she’s sexting Will in the middle of the afternoon, he’s at work

**From:** Morgan: why would work stop anyone i mean id do it to someone at work just to fuck with them :PP

**To:** Morgan: Fuck with them in a completely cyber way of course :)

**From:** Morgan: touché

 

Reid laughed, bestowing the phone in his pocket till he was back in Garcia’s office, having a cup being pushed into his hands. 

 “Sorry for running out like that.” He glanced at her over the rim of his cup for a second, watching her shrug. 

 “No worries! Sorry I upset you or something. Hey, I bet they’re all missing us up on that jet, why don’t we take a selfie and send them it to show them how much fun we’re having?” Reid rolled his eyes but agreed, leaning closer to Garcia and resting his chin on her shoulder. She poked the screen of her phone a few times pouting when it wouldn’t respond. “Urgh, looks like my battery died. You take it?” 

 

He fumbled with his phone, forgetting he’d locked it with the chat from Morgan up and he bit back a blush as he closed it before opening the group chat with all the agents in. He snapped a quick picture of them both smiling brightly, cheeks pressed together before sending it, adding a caption of ‘ _ wish you were here :) _ ’ to it. Within seconds, it was seen and replied to. 

 

**From:** Rossi: Glad to see you two arent working too hard eh? ;)

**From:** Hotch: We miss you too Reid - it’s not the same on the jet without you

**From:** JJ: Ignore them Reid, they were just talking about how it’s much quieter without you here :P xx

**From:** Rossi: Don’t make me come over there JJ

**From:** Morgan: wish u were here too pretty boy :)

 

Reid couldn’t hide his blush from Garcia then, the analyst laughing and snatching his phone out of his hands to snap a few pictures of him being red faced.

 “Garcia! What are you- stop that!” He cried, reaching for the phone that she was holding out of his reach.

 “Sending these to Morgan, who misses you, and wishes you were there.” The sing-song quality of her voice made Reid even redder and he grabbed his phone, thumb hitting the enter button, sending the photos (thankfully) in a private chat room to Morgan. By the time he’d completely wrestled it back, Morgan had replied to them.

 

**To:** Morgan: [image]

**To:** Morgan: [image]

**From:** Morgan: lmao im guessing garcia’s got ur phone

**From:** Morgan: baby girl dont be mean give it back u know he cant fight u for it ;)

**From:** Morgan: whats got u blushing like that anyway?

**To:** Morgan: NOTHING. Garcia is just being herself and teasing me :|

**From:** Morgan: abt what????

**To:** Morgan: The fact you said you missed me and said you wanted me on the plane with you. 

**From:** Morgan: well i do, im bored :/ i miss being able to talk to u face2face abt shit

**From:** Morgan: and im still worried abt u after being kidnapped by that psychopath

**To:** Morgan: Why are you worried?? I’m fine! I’m here with Garcia and a coffee, I’m safe, you don’t need to worry Morgan

**From:** Morgan: but i do bc i know u had that nightmare, have u even slept since we left???

**To:** Morgan: No, but that’s besides the point. 

**From:** Morgan: no its not besides the point

**From:** Morgan: how abt i come round again? Make u coffee, chat, drink beers or something, someting to help u sleep?

**To:** Morgan: If you have nothing better to do then my apartment is always open :)

**From:** Morgan: ill bring a pack of cards

**Author's Note:**

> oh yeah come talk to me on tumblr @ synergygabriel :3c


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